Addicted
by wildstraydog
Summary: Jaune was thrown about, beaten, and insulted. His days at Beacon Academy were terrible, having been made a laughing stock at his pathetic attempts to win a single match against Cardin. Behind his back, other students laughed and pitied Pyrrha. He would do anything to be better, stronger, faster... so when a woman presented him a miracle, he took it.
1. A Little Push

Addicted

By wildstraydog

Chapter One: A Little Push

Jaune felt his face collide in the arena floor. The hard concrete brushed against his cheek and peeled off a small patch of skin. He tumbled forward close to the stands and felt the wind get knocked out of him. Aura healed most of the damage, but his ego was shattered. He tried to get up and struggled to breath, turning around to be met with another fist.

Cardin wasn't even trying anymore, having dropped his weapon on the ground. He grabbed Jaune by his collar and forced him up to meet his disappointed frown. No one was cheering, the room was only filled with an uncomfortable silence of pity. Cardin sighed and smashed his knee into Jaune's stomach and threw him to the ground.

"That's enough." Professor Goodwitch announced.

"Don't have to tell me," Cardin complained.

The blonde-haired instructor released a heavy sigh and pushed up her ovular glasses against the ridge of her tiny nose. She looked down at Jaune's collapsed form and shook her head; his performance was abysmal. It was the second semester and he still had yet to improve beyond what his peers managed. She might need to discuss it with Ozpin.

"Mr. Arc."

Jaune felt a sensation of relief course through his bruised body. The pain still lingered as he peeled himself off the floor, not even bothering to look up and see the disdain on the other students faces. After his constant training with Pyrrha, he was still having difficulty picking up the on the fundamentals. He lagged behind everyone in the school because of his selfish reasons to sneak in with fake transcripts.

Pyrrha was probably disappointed.

"I'm afraid I won't mince words," Professor Goodwitch began. "That display was awful, you opened yourself up to Cardin's predictable movements. By now you should have a handle on basic combat skills, so it baffles me why you continue to embarrass yourself." Jaune's gaze remained on the floor.

"You're better than this, Arc." Cardin berated.

"Mr. Winchester, I don't need your input on this matter, refrain from speaking again." Her furrowed brow sent shivers down the towering student's spine.

Her dismissal went on deaf ears. Jaune left the arena and gathered up Crocea Mors without glancing at his friends. He rushed out of the arena and didn't look back, silently cursing his weakness.

"Pyrrha, wait!" Nora tried to stop her, but Professor Goodwitch butted in.

"Ms. Nikos, I'm glad you volunteered for the next fight, please step down into the arena." The redhead's expression drooped at the sudden volunteer duty.

She wanted to desperately go and run after Jaune, but Professor Goodwitch's stern glare couldn't be fought. Nora patted her back and looked to team RWBY. They were just as conflicted, but the looks of pity were familiar.

Ruby especially appeared hurt.

"Are you coming down, Ms. Nikos?"

"Y-yes, professor." Pyrrha slumped down the steps and headed for the locker room.

Jaune kept running until his legs gave out. He fell to his knees in the dormitory hall, panting uncontrollably from the rush of adrenaline. Sweat poured down his face and dripped onto the dull brown carpet—he wiped it away and pounded the floor with his gloved fist.

He was genuinely pathetic... it was a wonder why no one would bother to ask him out to the dance. And what would he do once the Vytal Festival started? He couldn't bear the thought of embarrassing his team in front of millions of people. Pyrrha assured him he would make progress, but it wasn't fast enough, even with his renewed focus.

The sun's piercing rays beamed down on his hunching form through the windows and warmed his back. He clambered to his feet and walked, taking in the beautiful scenery of the courtyard. Professor Goodwitch didn't bother to reprimand him for running out of the class, she probably lost hope; at least she wouldn't call on him anymore to get his ass beat.

Jaune stopped at one of the windows and leaned against the glass. There by the fountain, was the picturesque statue of his ancestor, proudly standing with a sword unsheathed, the epitome of what true hero looked like. If they could see him now... he was a laughing stock.

"Hey loser!" He turned to find the source of the voice and was and pushed against the window.

He rubbed his forehead and peered down the hall to see two male students laughing. So his reputation couldn't get worst, he was a bigger joke now than when he started the first semester. Instead of heading for his dorm, Jaune made his way down to the front of the academy.

It was more comforting to mope alone than force his friends to experience it. Pyrrha would continual encourage him to resume his training, but after _that_ beating he didn't have the will to keep going. And what did the members of RWBY think of him—Weiss was probably glad he didn't have the guts to continue his advances.

She was plenty happy with Neptune...

How did it all get this way? After the dance, he felt on top of the world, like he could tackle any Grimm singlehandedly. He managed to kill an Ursa during the Breach in Vale! Perhaps it was wishful thinking and he just got lucky. God, he hated pity more than anything

There was a nice little spot at the back of the academy near the cafeteria, a lush garden one of the local clubs tended to during the week. Ren had shown him the spot when he was getting bullied by Cardin, he called it a, "meditation spot". It was good advice, the combination of soothing aromas settled him down and brought him some peace.

He ran his fingers through a bed of dahlias, appreciating the bright colors each petal displayed. It was cliché, but he would have enjoyed watering these flowers under the blaring heat of the summer. The flicking light of the sun and the familiar textures of the petals he brushed his fingers against reminded him of their farm.

Saphron being the oldest, it rested on her shoulders to manage all of them, relaying different chores across the fields and house so his sickly mom wouldn't have to worry. Despite each sister's annoying tendencies, he longed for those days where their heartfelt smiles warmed his heart.

Maybe it was a mistake to run away...

There was another hour left or so before Professor Goodwitch's class let out. Jaune was confident he could stumble his way through the courtyard and lounge about the school. He just wanted to be alone.

Jaune looked back at the garden and sniveled, thinking back fondly at how perfect the flowers exemplified their simple beauty. He wiped his face of the blood and tears and exited the garden, tensing up with each step. The few exchange students from the other schools walking by shot him curious glances but minded their own business.

* * *

Hours passed, and Jaune did his best to stay out of sight. He rested in one of the student centers and then wandered the library browsing the various texts collecting dust on the shelves. He flipped through an illustrative book on Grimm that piqued his interest, but eventually he grew bored. Jaune had wasted most of the day away shooting longing gazes at the dipping sun. He set his scroll to vibrate hours ago, ignoring the mass texts from Pyrrha and Ruby.

Maybe it was curiosity or self-loathing, but Jaune found the need to visit the practice room. He walked down the long hallways as night approached and maintained his gaze on the floor, unable to bear the looks of pity. By now everyone in the school knew how weak he was.

When he reached the room, the entrance looked intimidating. Jaune felt every time he passed through the doors, another loss awaited him. He took a deep breath and walked forward—the silence he expected was replaced by the sound of metal pieces dropping to the floor with a _crunch_. Inside, Jaune glanced down to see a figure making short work of the practice drones. Machinery smashed to pieces and wires flew about the ground, dropping in puddles of oil. He walked down the steps to get a closer look, and found his breath hitch.

She was a visage of elegance.

The nimble girl wore a bright red mini dress with intricate yellow designs along the sleeves and collar. Along her curvy hips, a blue feather-like accessory hung gently, and beneath her dress she wore black shorts. A black choker fit snugly around her pale slender neck and alabaster skin, and her creamy shoulders were left open as the back of the dress ended in a keyhole shape, exposing her sweaty back.

None of the girl's attire did justice to her delicate features. Her cocky grin was highlighted by red lipstick, while the girl's mesmerizing amber eyes scanned the floor behind dainty eyelashes lined with violet eyeshadow. Jaune was awestruck by her cascading ashen-black hair that ran down to her bare shoulders and bounced with her movements.

He found himself dazzled by the performance, taking a seat near the front row to watch. She quickly disposed of another set of drones that entered the arena, jumping back and flinging her closed fist backward to cave in a drone behind her. She skidded across the floor—surprisingly in heels—and lifted her right leg to take down another.

The remaining two drones floating in a tight formation to surround her, dropped in seconds as she launched herself off the floor and bisected each one with a quick swipe of her hands. The girl landed and flipped her untouched hair back, admiring the destruction with an unusual gleam in her amber eyes.

She was perfect.

Why couldn't he have that much power or speed? Jaune would have done anything to attain those skills, to show everyone he wasn't just some weakling that followed Pyrrha around like a whipped dog.

In his trance, he forgot to notice the current set was finished, and found the girl staring back at him with an incredulous look. She was forced to look upon a shambled mess, at half a man.

"Enjoy the show?"

Jaune hesitated. "I'm sorry, you were just so... amazing." He realized the poor choice of words and smacked his forehead.

"Oh, amazing how?"

"Uh, well...," Jaune blanched at the sudden question. "You're just, so far above me, it's humbling I guess to see." He cursed at the poor explanation.

The girl crinkled her brow but nodded, and walked over to the bench to grab a towel and wipe away the sweat dripping down her neck.

"I don't like to show off." Her tone carried a finality to it, as if the practice couldn't be debated.

"Again, I didn't mean to intrude—I just wish... never mind." Jaune got up from his seat and turned to leave the arena. He embarrassed himself enough already for one day.

"Cinder Fall," She called out, eyeing him with renewed curiosity.

"Uh, Jaune Arc, but you probably know me better as _Pyrrha Niko's_ partner..." Cinder's dangerous eyes perked up, her alluring beauty giving him chills.

"Oh _really_, I apologize, those classes bore me." And he knew why now.

"It's okay, I'm not very memorable."

"Tell me, what were you saying early," She opened the flap leading back up the stairs where Jaune stood, her hips sashaying with each carefully placed step. "Something about a wish?" She released a breathy laugh.

_Oh, I said that out loud_, Jaune thought.

"It's dumb, really, but—seeing you out there, it made me envious, to have strength like that." Cinder hummed at the answer and drew closer; he felt himself sweat under her stare.

"What kind of semblance do you have, Jaune Arc?" She drew out his name with her supple lips.

"I haven't unlocked it yet, but Pyrrha says I have a lot of aura. At this point I've sort of given up, the countless nights of training don't seem to be helping." He didn't mean to sound downtrodden, but saying it out loud made the realization hit harder.

"Hmmm, do you know what they say about semblances?" Cinder strutted past him and rested the towel in her hand softly around her clammy neck.

"Uh, no."

"The saying goes, 'the longer it takes for a person to release their semblance—the more powerful it is.'" He didn't feel strong, far from it.

Jaune released an audible sigh and winced at the pain in his ribs. Cinder noticed, her smirk growing larger—it reminded him of a predator about to swoop in.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but you don't have to try so hard. Everyone in the school knows I suck, it just hurts more knowing I can't do anything about it." Cinder giggled and stole his glance, walking around him to look in his eyes.

"Perhaps I can help you." Jaune scoffed at the notion—what could she do that Pyrrha couldn't? He was a hopeless cause at this point.

Cinder reached into her pockets and drew out a burnt yellow cylindrical object the size of a jellybean. It rolled in the heel of her palm and glinted against the scattered lights in the room.

"What's that—?"

"They call them aura boosters—if you take one, it helps to focus your aura, making you stronger, faster, and to have the stamina to train for hours." She plopped the pill in his calloused hands and grinned.

"But isn't that... cheating?"

She laughed at the notion. "Of course not, you already have a handicap don't you? Call it, evening the playing field." It still felt wrong somehow, but as his eyes upturned with a cursory glance at Cinder's blazing eyes, Jaune was locked into her persuasive gaze.

"I just, don't know."

"Trust me—or do you want everyone to laugh behind your back forever?" He tensed up at the thought.

Jaune threw the pill in the air and forcefully swallowed it with a loud gulp. There was no immediate change, and his aura felt normal.

"The effects won't be instant, why don't you go train?" Jaune looked down at the empty arena and had the sudden urge to fill it up with a mountain of scrap.

"T-thank you, Cinder, if it works, I don't know how to repay you." She pulled out her scroll and displayed a series of numbers on the screen.

"Take my number... I'll be curious to hear the results." Jaune eagerly nodded and added her contact information to his scroll.

He walked down the steps with a wave and entered the arena, rolling his shoulders in preparation. Cinder could only snicker at how easy it was to manipulate the boy—she barely had to make a suggestion. Granted, her charming looks had that effect on eager boys. She needed a test subject, and the first candidate happened to be Pyrrha Niko's partner, one of their targets. How lucky could she be?

All she had to do now, was sit back and watch.


	2. Winner's High

Addicted

By wildstraydog

Chapter Two: Winner's High

**I know I was quiet last chapter, partially out of embarrassment for lack of updates on other stories. I updated my profile with some new story ideas you guys can check out. As for my other stories, I **_**will**_** attempt to pump out new Aura chapters, but The Heat is still on hiatus until I can figure out my plans. **

**Until all of that, I hope you enjoy this little story, I read the reviews and I'm happy with the reception. I'll do my best to not make Jaune too pathetic, it can be hard especially with this type of story, but I won't shy away from him experiencing a lot of setbacks in his relationships.**

**On another note, I made a mistake when I posted the first chapter on the pairings so don't kill me. It's supposed to be Cinder/Jaune/Yang, sorry for the confusion, the tags should be fixed by the posting of this chapter.**

* * *

The door to Cinder's dorm room opened with an authoritative push. She walked in with a perfect stride and used the towel around her neck to wipe her forehead. Her workout was shorter than planned; it was hard to concentrate when a blonde moron was ogling you... granted, the interaction proved fruitful, and gave her an excuse to dig for information on Nikos.

Across the room splayed out on the bed next to Mercury's, Emerald lied on her back staring up at a magazine. The cover displayed a masculine huntsman lifting some luxurious sports car over his bulging shoulders. It was hardly the type of literature she expected from the obedient girl.

Emerald noticed her and shot up from the bed, straightening out her mint-green locks to look presentable. Her dark-red eyes remained wide in anticipation of Cinder's next word, looking upon her with reverence.

"M-Ma'am, I didn't see you come in, you're early."

"I ran into some unexpected company," Cinder stretched her neck, giving Emerald an eyeful of her lustrous skin. "Do you know who Jaune Arc is?" Emerald broke the stare.

"Arc, that _loser_... only because of how embarrassing he is to watch. I don't know how he got into Beacon, do you want me to investigate?" Cinder's interest was piqued by the suggestion.

"You may do so—but don't touch him, Jaune will prove useful to us." Emerald titled her head in confusion, gripping the sheets under her.

"Would it be rude to ask why, Ma'am?"

_Was she jealous? _Cinder amusedly thought.

"While I was training, I ran into the boy, and an opportunity presented itself. Remember the new drug created by Dr. Watts?" Emerald leaned in with an expression of doubt; she wasn't a fan of the "good" doctor.

"The one we distributed in the White Fang ranks?"

"Correct, it seems I found our first human test subject—Jaune Arc is the perfect candidate, some nobody who can't win a single match." Emerald appeared still befuddled by the choice.

"Why not someone stronger, like on team RWBY?"

"Don't you see," Cinder walked over to her bed and sat down to peel off her heels. "This is the _perfect_ test, to show that the drug can make a weakly boy on par with some of the greatest students in-training." The thought of the results filled her internally with glee.

Watts would be thrilled.

"What about the side-effects?"

"I'll deal with that—in the meantime, learn everything you can about the boy and his family lineage." Emerald nodded and trained her eyes on Cinder's every movement as she made her way to the shower.

Cinder turned the knob in the shower and allowed the gushing heated water to spray across her bare figure. It was the small conveniences she took pleasure in that kept her motivated. Within the stall, her thoughts were free and she could mull over future plans. In the grand scheme, she wanted successful results from her little _experiment_ with Jaune. But what about after, did she dispose of him?

No, that was too simple... she needed an inkling of a plan that could turn Pyrrha Nikos into a broken woman. She needed more information, and with Jaune in the palm of her hands, she had a vault of information to access.

It was fun to toy with peoples' lives.

* * *

Jaune's eyes flutter opened with a rejuvenated energy. He sat up rigidly and flexed his fingers, earning a jolted response that made him jump out of bed. Jaune's whole body felt like it was on fire, his every movement accentuated by a rush of adrenaline. He wanted to do _something_, run, maybe go and lift some weights in the practice room.

He looked down at his alarm clock and saw it was 5:30 in the morning. The rest of his team was asleep, content with their merry dreams (or in Nora's case, swashbuckling adventures). Jaune knelt down and pulled out his change of clothes to workout in and dressed up fast.

The simple white t-shirt and black workout shorts fit well, and he calmed himself down enough to gently open the door without making a noise. He began to run down the dormitory hallway, his feet kicking back against the carpet with unbelievable strength he never possessed. Jaune's speed built up a gust and brushed against his skin.

The room appeared before him like magic, and he came to an abrupt stop. How long did it take him to run here; everything was a blur. Yet he still felt so much energy pumping through his veins, similar to a locomotive across the tracks. His breathing was even and he looked down at the empty room, the concrete floor now spotless of the oil puddles Cinder left.

Cinder...

The raven-haired woman entered his mind briefly, her alluring amber eyes were capable of making any man become enraptured by its beauty.

Jaune shook the thoughts of impossibility from his mind and walked down the steps leading into the arena. The surge of energy was still powerful, urging him to work out his muscles until they screamed out in pain. He approached the device at the end of the room and looked over the different modes—his instincts made him choose the second to highest difficulty.

_BEEP!_

The walls around the room slid open. Drone floated out through the openings and scattered about the arena, their flickering red lights shimmering under the lights on the ceiling. Jaune pulled out his scroll and tapped on the device to call out his weapon. On the other side of the room, a locker popped up from the ground and opened.

"Gimme one second." Even his tone was cockier

Crocea Mors lie in the locker and glinted against the red lights. He gripped the simple handle and tightened it in his palm, feeling the grooves against his calloused hands. Jaune chuckled and stepped away from the locker without his shield, taking hold of the blade with both hands.

_I don't even know what I'm doing_, Jaune thought.

He stopped in the middle of the room and waited for the timer to begin. The green numbers on the board counted down until it reached zero and blared a horn in the room.

The first two drones zoomed in and unleashed a volley of rounds. Jaune felt his reaction speed increase and the bullets appeared slower. He jumped back and kicked himself off the ground toward another floating drone in the back. With Crocea Mors lifted above his shoulders, he brought it down in a downward swing and bisected the machine.

Wires flew past his flushed face, and some of the oil stained his white shirt. Jaune landed on the ground and panted, his eyes darting back to the other drones in excitement. The drones fired again, with another joining to pelt the room. The clinking of rounds dropping to the ground filled the silence and buzzing in Jaune's ears.

There were five more, but their speed was increased with each difficulty. Jaune ran back to the backside of the room and grabbed his shield—he lifted it up and took the vibrations each bullet made when it impacted the shield. Jaune charged forward and slid on the ground while throwing the shield into the air. It whirled toward one of the drones and pierced the front of it, crashing it to the ground.

Jaune launched himself off the ground and used the falling drone as a stepping point to propel himself above the others. With a fierce yell he grabbed hold of the drone and twisted it in another direction. It fired into the machines and riddled them with bullets until they all fell, leaving the one he clung to as the last one. Jaune lifted Crocea Mors and thrust the blade through its front, dropping him to the ground.

"I... I did." He said between struggled huffs.

He flipped himself over and lied on his back, looking up at the ceiling lights with a wide grin. The booster worked—he felt like a new man.

But how long did it last?

The flooding of adrenaline didn't stop, and Jaune forced himself off the ground. He made his way to the stairs to leave the practice room and pulled out his scroll to check the time; it was still early. There were still so many questions to ask about the effects, especially if he didn't want the others to find out.

"Jaune?" A soft but confident voiced called out.

He craned his neck back to see Yang atop the steps with a look of disbelief. She wore an orange tank top and black yoga pants that showed off her _generous_ curves. Her voluminous sun-colored hair was tied up in a single ponytail, giving him a clear view of Yang's smooth neck.

"Yang, why are you up so early?" He walked back up the stairs and his lips slid into a grin, looking over Yang with a quick glance.

She noticed immediately.

"I always get up early and swing a few punches—but damn, gotta say I'm impressed, did you wake up on the right side of the bed this morning?" Yang's lilac eyes suppressed their amusement and narrowed in curiosity.

"After yesterday, I swore to get better," Jaune closed the distance between them. "I feel like a new man today, like I can do _anything_." His words came out mellowed and caused Yang to erupt in a blush.

Yang quickly composed herself. "Tough words, think you can prove it?" Jaune's grin widened and another rush of excitement flowed through him.

"How about a race?"

The mischievous blonde's eyebrow quirked at the mention, and her supple lips twisted into a smirk.

"Now we're talking—two laps around the school, _lover boy_." She beckoned him to follow with a playful tug of her slender finger.

Jaune hadn't missed the emphasis on his new nickname. It was always "vomit boy" or "blondie." He had no problem adjusting to his new title.

The sun was barely peaking up over the horizon, the few beams piercing through the mountain ranges lit up the Emerald Forest bordering the school. Jaune stood next to the blonde starlet near the courtyard entrance, stretching his arms and legs to counter his thumping heartbeat. His newfound confidence made him nervous—he was usually more collected with his thoughts and doubtful. Yet acting brash felt natural.

His curious blue eyes wandered over to Yang's bent over figure. Whether it was intentional or not, she was bent over and reaching for her toes—her wonderfully proportioned butt stuck out, it's _favorable _size outlined by the pants.

"Like what you see?"

"Perhaps," Jaune tersely retorted.

Yang looked back with her mouth open, lost in her thoughts. She formed an excited smile and turned back to hide the red tint growing on her cheeks.

He, Jaune Arc, was making Yang Xiao Long blush.

"So once the buzzer from my scroll goes off we begin, got it?" She laid the device on one of the metal benches and cracked her neck.

"Sounds fair enough, what does the winner get?"

"Hehe, how about... winner decides?" Jaune didn't miss the glint in her fiery lilac eyes. He swore they flared red for a split second.

They each got in position and relaxed, placing their hands on the marble ground. Jaune's mind raced at the possibilities—for some reason he didn't feel an ounce of fear, he was confident the outcome was already set. Sweat poured down his forehead and drenched his brows. His muscles throbbed as he pushed back his legs into position, noticing Yang do the same.

_BOOM!_

The fake gunshot on Yang's scroll echoed through the courtyard. His fellow blonde shot forth like a burst of lightning, kicking off the ground and shooting up a cloud of dust. Jaune was taken back by her speed but followed, his legs receiving a brief surge of strength.

Like before when he ran through the halls, Jaune saw the scenery around him turn into a blur. He could make out Yang's blazing form clearly and sped up, quickly closing the distance between them.

She looked over for a second and her eyes almost burst out. Jaune chuckled and rushed forward, breaking ahead. Yang wouldn't allow it, increasing her pace until she was barely able to catch her breath. They remained closed, both not budging and pushing harder as they passed through half of the second lap. Somehow, he was keeping up with Yang.

He could see the finish line, and jolted forward, cutting in front of Yang until he passed. Jaune skidded against the marble and fell to his knees, a pool of sweat dripping across his flushed face. His breathing was uneven and it took a few seconds for him to regain his balance.

"I-I can't believe it," Yang laughed.

Jaune slammed his fist on the marble in joy. He couldn't describe the feeling, it was like a state of euphoria—the world around him was now his playground.

"So winner gets to choose, right?" He stood up with a grunt and turned around.

"Haha, yeah, I guess—whacha want?" Yang shot him a wink.

It might have been the wrong answer for her, and the way she joked about it seemed harmless... but Jaune was done being a coward.

Jaune broke the gap between them and softly took hold of her shoulders. She flushed immediately and glanced around the courtyard to see if she was dreaming.

"Uh, hahaha, joke's over, you got me Jaune." Yang stuttered.

"You only live once, right?" Jaune leaned in and brushed his lips against hers, drawing her in to the kiss.

The world froze, and for a few seconds Yang joined in. His right hand moved to the small of her back, and he bent forward in the bliss.

They broke apart and Jaune looked at her red face, a trail of spit dripping from her wet lips. Her lilac eyes slowly opened and she finally realized what happened—Yang took a few steps back and tried to formulate some words.

"I... I need to go, do girl stuff—see ya Jaune!" She took off faster than when the race started, and left him alone with his satisfied thoughts.

He didn't even think of the consequences, the thrill of having fun overtaking any doubts. Jaune was still pumped up, but he needed to take a shower, his clammy arms producing an odor. But that didn't mean he couldn't jog back to his dorm.

* * *

Yang was freaking out.

It was the only way she could describe her thought process at the moment. She. Just. Kissed. Jaune Arc, the gangly dork and resident klutz of their small circle of friends. But it was so, wonderful? She blushed at the thought when she leaned in to savor the feeling.

She got to her dorm and quickly opened the door, awaking her teammates. Weiss roused awake with a grumble and checked the alarm clock sitting on her fanciful dresser. Yang ignored the complaints and ran into the shower, closing the door and stripping herself of her drenched clothes.

The hot water ironically cooled down her thoughts. Yang stretched out in the stall and tried to get handle on what just happened. For some crazy reason, Jaune suddenly got faster and stronger in the span of one day. Yesterday he looked like a pathetic mess... ok that was cruel and undeserved, but he did suck it up.

Ruby was crushed and desperate to speak with him, hell, even Weiss felt bad. Blake told us to leave him alone and give him space, so in hindsight maybe that worked? But it wasn't just his burst of physical prowess, he somehow appeared more confident and dare she say—

—No she wasn't going to say that, it was too embarrassing.

But that kiss... it was intoxicating, it drew her in and made her forget every opinion she previously formed about Jaune. Whatever he did, it was working—and maybe that's all he needed, a confident boost. Pyrrha's training had to kick in at some point. Maybe his losing streak was related to heartbreak or jealously. Weiss did recently warm up to Neptune.

"This is a mess."

She finished cleaning up and turned off the knob. Yang grabbed a couple towels and wrapped one around her waist. The steam exiting the shower trailed out into their room when she opened the door. She pushed back her moment with Jaune and settled on her bed to dry out her hair.

"Have a good workout?" Blake calmly asked.

"Oh, it was... interesting."

"We still need to speak with Jaune!" Ruby insisted, earning a sigh from the heiress in the corner. _Was it possible to talk about something else? _Yang thought with dread.

"He should probably hear from Pyrrha first." Blake suggested.

"I know but..."

"Don't worry about him Rubes," Yang massaged her scalp with the towel. "I have a feeling vomit boy is doing just fine—he was probably having a bad day."

"Yeah, maybe." Ruby's forlorn gaze remained.

There was only one person she could confide in, and that was Blake. But right now, she wanted to enjoy the moment in secrecy while she sorted out her thoughts.

Jaune would show up at lunch and surprise everyone. She could tell Blake later in the day and let the blonde revel in his newfound confidence.

Hopefully it lasted.


	3. Withdrawal

Addicted

By wildstraydog

Chapter Three: Withdrawal

**I think people are expecting much **_**worse**_** to happen to Jaune in this story. Not that it won't take dark turns, but there will be a happy ending, a light at the end of the tunnel. I might be getting a new job (which requires a huge move), so I'll update you if that happens and there are delays.**

* * *

Jaune sat himself at the table for lunch, ignoring the buzzing of students across the cafeteria. The spacious room was filled to the brim thanks to the transfer students from across Remnant. His appetite was exponential, and a few audible grumbles sounded as he stared down at his plate. The silence at the table was replaced by odd stares at the mountain of food.

The plate was occupied with clumps of fried chicken stacked atop each other, a pile of noodles dripped in marinara sauce looped around two steaming meatballs, and an assortment of cakes with different colored icing. It was three times the amount he usually ate, but he didn't care, the state of adrenaline pumping through his body attracted strange cravings.

He picked up the fork on the table and dug in, attacking the noodles' first. The flood disappeared from the plate in a blur to the astonishment of his friends. Nora, of course, cheered him on to complete the monstrosity. What impressed them most was that not a single crump or stray noodle collapsed on the floor. Weiss looked on in disgust and averted her gaze, flattening the ice cold gaze she usually carried.

"Um, are you okay...? Jaune?" Pyrrha cautiously moved her hand forward and placed it on his backside. He felt the pleasant warmth spread through his back and stopped mid-bite, gulping back some of the chocolate in his throat.

"Oh, sorry, I probably looked like an animal." He chuckled.

"More like a ravenous Beowulf!" Nora added, always the last person to be considerate. Of course, Jaune wasn't going to berate her for such a remark.

It was true.

"Is this because of yesterday?" Pyrrha asked, her bright green eyes shaking with concern. She was the motherly type, leaning closer to him in her seat.

"Guys, I'm fine, just really hungry from training today."

"He's probably just riled up, Ruby gets like that when her blood sugar is low." Ruby pouted at the suggestion and narrowed her silver eyes with a stern look of revenge.

Jaune tossed a quick glance at Yang and saw the blonde look away. He could still remember the soft texture of her plump lips and the heat from her ragged breath. It was dangerous to think so irrationally, what he did was a on a whim, but he did enjoy the moment.

He quickly buried the thought and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his stomach with a satisfied sigh. The act of devouring his food brought him some odd feeling of accomplishment. Now that he was full, the desire to train more popped up—he wanted to feel the sweat pour down his body. The week was about over, so practical combat by Professor Goodwitch wasn't until next Monday.

Unless he asked Pyrrha to train.

Jaune propped himself up and turned to look at the champion, furrowing his brow into a firm gaze. Pyrrha turned and felt nervous, his broad shoulders and confident expression melting her thumping heart. Silence again took over the table, and Yang finally settled her uncertain lilac eyes on the blond.

"Can we go train?"

"R-right now, but we just ate breakfast." Jaune's excited smirk twisted into a frown, so he tried a different approach to appease the girl.

"I know yesterday's match was disappointing, but it inspired me to try even harder—let's go beyond basics and increase the difficulty today." His firm statement took Pyrrha back, producing a blush.

"I-if you're certain, I don't see why not!" She shifted in the cafeteria chair and stood up. Her green eyes shimmered in determination.

"In fact," Jaune looked over at the others. "Why don't you guys all come and watch, I could use some motivation." Ruby bounced off her seat and pumped her fist in the air.

"For sure, maybe we can even offer some pointers! Weiss, you're coming too, leader's orders." The mumble from the heiress didn't go unheard.

"Oh we have to see this Ren, maybe we can show off some moves!" Nora gestured with her hands and did a few karate chops, earning a roll of the eyes from her partner.

"I'm sure Pyrrha is a suitable teacher."

They all stood from the table and followed Jaune, with Nora hopping along with her arm interlocked around Ren's. Weiss clutched her forehead and massaged the temple, the pain of annoyance evident in the heiress' sunken expression. Blake planned to follow for quick entertainment, curious about Jaune's sudden personality switch.

"Blake, wait." Yang whispered.

She easily caught her blonde partner's plea, her black ribbon twitching at the vibration. Blake turned around and quirked an eyebrow at Yang's uneasy expression, her lilac eyes wavering in desperation.

"What is it?"

"Can we talk... in private?" She looked back at the others fading backs and nodded. While she would have preferred to visit the library and track down more White Fang leads, she couldn't push away her partner's shaking gaze. Another restless night could wait.

"Sure, I'll follow."

Yang led her out of the cafeteria and back to their dorm room. The blonde checked the hallway with a suspicious gaze and locked the door. Blake's eyebrows rose at the girl's behavior—she rested on the bunk opposite of Yang's bed and looked out the window. Light shone through the glass and heated her folded hands. She closed the blinds and watched as Yang pulled out Weiss's chair.

"So, what's going on?"

"..."

"Yang?"

She released a long sigh and leaned against the back of the chair. "Yesterday, when I went to the practice room, I ran into Jaune." Blake nodded along and observed the slight changes in Yang's facial expression. Her lilac eyes darted across the room and blinked rapidly.

"Okay, you met Jaune, does this have to do with his strange behavior?" While she never really paid attention to the clumsy acquaintance of team JNPR, even she noted his odd shift in personality.

"Well, he was already acting strange—he challenged me to a race!" Yang threw up her arms up in dramatic fashion, but Blake failed to see the big deal.

"And...?"

"I made a wager with him, said the winner could choose _whatever_ the prize was. I don't know Blake, but he won—the blonde doofus beat me!" Yang finished her exclamation through a lighthearted chuckle.

"You're telling me Jaune beat you," Blake narrowed her eyes in disbelief and leaned forward, her curiosity finally piqued. "So what did he decide?" Yang avoided her inquisitive gaze and pulled on her scarf.

"Haha, so... he kissed me." Yang incoherently mumbled.

"Speak up, I didn't hear you."

"He kissed me, alright!"

Blake froze and her lips parted to speak, yet nothing came. She closed her eyes and shook her head to clear any mindless thoughts. Yang's embarrassed expression said it all, but the blonde quickly steeled herself, losing the brief flush on her smooth cheeks.

"Jaune... kissed you, how, why?"

"I don't know," Yang shrugged. "He was acting all suave and flirtatious—I mean usually I tease him sure, but when he kissed me it was... electric." Blake sighed and calmed herself down.

"Instead of worrying what the kiss meant, we should probably think about Jaune's strange behavior. One day he's beaten in class and humiliated, the next he's better than ever and kissing girls on a whim." Yang hummed in response and cupped her chin.

"I kind of enjoyed it though, that confident side of him. It's all confusing, but you're right about vomit boy, something is definitely up." Blake agreed and thought back to Jaune's healthy appetite.

"Did he seem strange, or do anything odd? Besides the personality shift I mean." Yang threw her arms back and interlocked her fingers to rest her head, looking up at the ceiling with a thoughtful stare.

"Not that I can think of—actually, he seemed really anxious."

"Anxious how?"

"He kept moving around, was sweating a ton and constantly acted positive. Jaune didn't mope like he usually does when he's down." Blake tapped her finger against her forearm, mulling over what it could mean.

It was possible he was depressed and hiding the fact behind a façade. People with depression were often anxious and rash, going through with things without thinking of the consequences. She personally knew how it felt, to believe in something and find out it was all a lie.

She could remember Jaune's anguished expression after Professor Goodwitch's harsh remarks. The professor meant no ill will, she was probably just stubborn and disappointed in his progress.

"What do you think Blake?"

"I'm not positive about anything... Jaune could be experiencing an acute mood swing brought on by depression." Yang's deadpan stare wasn't surprising.

Blake cursed, feeling a sense of regret. She never should have read all those psychology books.

"He's depressed, Yang."

"You think so, he looked pretty happy to me—you don't think he'll do anything stupid, do you?" Blake's lips scrunched into a frown.

"I don't know, but we should keep an eye on him. Remember, I'm just guessing, it could be something simple—we could always ask Pyrrha to talk to him." Yang grit her teeth at the mention of the champion's name.

"Not the _kissing_ part."

"Guess I can't avoid him forever." Yang gave in to her predicament and bounced off the chair, her silky blonde hair bobbing with her movements.

"I'm heading to the library." Blake sighed and walked past Yang with a renewed look of concern in her amber eyes.

She was worried about Jaune's condition, but until the boy displayed obvious warning signs, she had more important things to investigate. The White Fang were robbing dust stores and working with Roman Torchwick. None of it made sense in the grand scheme of things—she didn't have time to waste on school drama or misunderstood feelings.

* * *

Jaune stepped out of the shower with a broad grin. His teeth glinted under the bathroom lights, and when he looked in the mirror, his deep blue eyes sparkled with energy. He grabbed a nearby towel hanging on the rails and wrapped it around his tight waist.

Pyrrha had been astonished by his quick turnaround. Although he didn't win against the red-haired goddess of strength, he was able to keep up with her movements and return a few hits. She quickly leveled him, but everyone watching were genuinely shocked, wearing wide smirks on their faces.

The praise and encouragement he been seeking for weeks made him almost cry. He sucked it up and told Pyrrha he was just feeling down the other day. She was hesitant of the excuse, but she wouldn't doubt him.

He opened the door and slung his hoodie over his shoulder, his exposed chest catching Pyrrha and Nora's eyes. Pyrrha's cheeks matched the color of her bright locks—she covered Nora's eyes and stuttered something to Jaune.

"J-Jaune, put on your shirt, please!" He released a chuckle and pulled out a new standard blue t-shirt.

"Damn, you been working out bud?" Nora remarked.

"A little bit, sorry about that Pyrrha." He shot a wink in her direction. It would be hard to sleep with so much energy left, but his entire day consisted of nonstop excitement.

"It's alright, we're all friends here." Jaune thought he caught Pyrrha's tone falter at the use of "friend."

"You should have seen the ice queen's face, her icy eyes almost burst out of their sockets!" Nora quipped with a bounce on Ren's bed.

"Despite her hyperbole, you did well," Ren acknowledged.

"Thanks guys, I'm just tired—it's been a hectic day." Pyrrha settled on relieved smile. Jaune felt somewhat guilty for lying to her.

He stretched out his arms and settled into his bed, pulling the covers over his chest. Jaune's eyes fluttered until they closed, and a sudden wave of exhaustion hit him. His mind wasn't racing anymore and the events of the day were starting to catch up to him. Including the sudden kiss with Yang.

But he could fret over that tomorrow.

"Good night," Pyrrha whispered in the dark.

Jaune didn't know what time in the morning it was, but he awoke with a violent jerk. His eyes snapped open and he sat up in the bed, the covers falling into his lap. Jaune gripped his forehead and softly groaned at the pounding headache and then shivered. He was covered in cold sweat and his body trembled. He stood up and went to the bathroom, his breathing shallow and fast. Jaune turned on the sink and splashed his face.

"W-why do I feel so cold?" Jaune felt his heart thump at an uncontrollable rate.

He took out a quick change of clothes and exited the dorm. Jaune almost fell in the hallway, finding it difficult to stand without feeling nauseous. He fished out his scroll and saw it was 5:30 in the morning—he wanted to vomit, the thought of the nickname he started with rising to his mind. The only reason he could be feeling so terrible was because of the drug.

If anyone saw him like this...

Jaune stopped walking and leaned against the wall, dropping to the floor. Without the aura booster, he would go back to a weakling, a laughing stock. He could already picture the disappointed faces of his teammates. Yang would abhor him, perhaps be sicken even more by his kiss.

The scroll in his tired hand felt heavy, but he punched in a few numbers and waited for the screen. Jaune bit his lip and cursed his weakness.

"Jaune," A soothing voice cooed. "I'm glad you called." She looked just as beautiful as he remembered, her confident amber eyes filled with a burning passion.

It might have been the haze clouding his vision, but her soft inviting orbs danced about, resembling a growing fire. He sat up against the wall and forced a smile.

"C-Cinder, I'm so happy you answered, I feel terrible." Jaune felt another shiver rush through him and he drew himself closer to get heat.

"You look sick, it might be a side effect."

"Did you k-know this would happen, I'm so cold, and I can't stop sweating." Cinder internally sneered, but continued her motherly tone.

"It was possible, but I never thought it would take effect so quickly. I would never intentionally do you harm, Jaune." His deep blue eyes held a light of doubt.

"Maybe I shouldn't have called..."

"Nonsense," Cinder insisted. "Where are you, I'll come meet you." Jaune swallowed and felt his dry throat itch. He was unsure of everything, but he just wanted to feel better and not be a pathetic mess.

"In the hall of the west dorms."

"Don't move, I'm on my way." Cinder shut off the scroll and walked over to her drawer, pulling out two more pills.

She was walking a delicate line, Cinder had noticed the wavering in his dead gaze. Jaune wouldn't remain a _loyal_ customer if there wasn't something worth it for all the trouble. She walked out the door and tapped her chin in thought; what did the boy desire besides power?

Cinder sparked a light of fire in her palm and had it dance around her slender fingers, enjoying the rise in temperature on her smooth skin.

It was time for an interrogation.


End file.
